Da Bum's 2014 NBA Playoff Best Bets- News,Stats-Trends !

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Heat looks to close

May 27, 2014


Miami (65-30) at Indiana (65-34)

Eastern Conference Finals
Game 5 – Miami leads series 3-1
Tip-off: Wednesday, 8:35 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line and Total: Miami -2, Total: 184

The Heat look to eliminate the host Pacers and advance to the NBA Finals for the third straight season in Wednesday's Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

After a Game 1 victory in which Indiana defeated the Heat by 11 points, Miami has completely taken control of the series with three straight victories. The Heat won Game 2 by four points and have prevailed in two home games by 12 points each, taking Monday's Game 4 by a 102-90 score. The series now shifts back to Bankers Life Fieldhouse where the Pacers will be fighting for their playoff lives after an entire season of positioning themselves with the top seed in the East. Both clubs have a nearly break-even ATS record in this scenario this season with the Heat going 23-22-2 ATS on the road with their opponent at 24-25-1 ATS at home. But Indiana has the 9-5 SU (8-6 ATS) advantage when hosting in this series over the past three seasons. However, Miami is 17-11 SU (15-13 ATS) overall in that timeframe.

The Heat are 9-4 ATS this postseason (4-2 ATS on road), and are also 11-2 ATS this season when playing five or less games in 14 days. But the Pacers are 3-0 ATS this season when playing against a team that has defeated them in three straight games and 19-7 ATS at home when playing four or less games in a 10-day span in the past two seasons. The only injury concern for either team is PF Chris Andersen (thigh), who missed Game 4, but will likely give it a go in Game 5 in Indiana.

The Heat played an outstanding game at AmericanAirlines Arena on Monday with a 102-90 victory. They shot 46.4% FG and 88.2% FT (30-of-34) with only seven turnovers. Now Miami looks to buy itself some extra rest with a Game 5 series-clinching win. SF LeBron James (26.3 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 5.8 APG this series) played his best game of the series after being called out by Lance Stephenson of the Pacers, who didn’t think much of James’ trash talk in Game 3. James poured in 32 points (13-of-21 FG), 10 rebounds and five assists on Monday, and will continue to aggressively attack the basket as the Pacers were not able to protect the rim on Monday. SG Dwyane Wade (22.0 PPG, 3.8 APG, 3.0 RPG, 1.5 SPG this series) finished with 15 points in the game and also played some outstanding defense on Stephenson. If Wade, who is making 57% FG in the series, can continue to outplay the Pacers' shooting guard, Miami should have no problem finishing Indiana off and advancing to the finals.

PF Chris Bosh (13.0 PPG, 4.5 RPG this series) finally showed up in this series on Monday. Bosh was established early by the Heat and was on fire from the outside. The forward finished the game with 25 points (7-of-12 FG, 3-of-5 3PT) and six rebounds, which was quite an improvement from his 9.0 PPG and 4.0 RPG in the first three games versus Indiana. Miami will need Bosh, whose defense on Roy Hibbert was also a major reason the Heat won Game 4, to continue to shoot the ball well if it is going to complete the goal of winning three straight NBA championships. SG Ray Allen (10.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG this series) was the team's top reserve scorer on Monday with nine points and four rebounds, but made just 2-of-8 FG (1-of-5 threes) to drop to 41% FG (44% threes) for the series.

The Pacers fought all year long to get themselves the No. 1 seed because they were confident playing on their home court. Now they must win at home just to keep their season alive. On Monday, the team shot very well from the floor (49% FG, 43% threes), but made only 11-of-17 FT (65%) and committed 14 turnovers with only 18 assists on 35 baskets. Indiana also barely won the rebounding battle (37-34) despite having a superior frontcourt in terms of both size and skill. SG Lance Stephenson (15.3 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 6.0 APG this series) made the headlines this week as he opened his mouth and doubted LeBron James.

While James went off in Game 4, Stephenson was held to just nine points (3-of-7 FG) in 32 minutes. Indiana desperately needs its playmaker to get himself going early in Game 5 or it could be out of the game rather early. SF Paul George (19.5 PPG, 5.0 APG, 4.5 RPG this series) had 23 points and seven rebounds in 43 minutes in Game 4, but was rather ineffective until the garbage minutes in the fourth quarter. George must find himself some easy shots early in the game in order to get his confidence up. He can really struggle if he is not seeing the ball go in consistently. The Pacers are also going to need to find some shots for their All-Star C Roy Hibbert (11.8 PPG, 7.3 RPG this series). Hibbert took just four shots in Game 4 and was unable to score a single point in 22 minutes of play. The big man also found himself in foul trouble rather early.

The Pacers will need to get the same type of balance they received in Game 1 if they are going to get themselves back into this series. PF David West (15.5 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 3.8 APG in series) continues to be rock-solid for this team with 20 points, 12 rebounds and four assists in Game 4, and PG George Hill (12.8 PPG on 46% FG in series) had his best game of the series on Monday with 15 points (4-of-7 threes) and four assists. That output topped his combined assist total from the first three games of this series when he had three assists and five turnovers.

[StarDust Bum]

2014 Playoff Results

May 27, 2014

Betting Results

Conference Finals
Wager Favorites-Underdogs Home-Away
Straight Up 7-1 7-1
Against the Spread 7-1 7-1
Total
Over-Under 4-4


Eastern Conference Finals

(E1) Indiana vs. (E2) Miami
Game Matchup Score Favorite-Underdog Over-Under
1 Miami at Indiana (+2, +115) 107-96 Underdog Over (182)
2 Miami (-2) at Indiana 87-84 Favorite Under (184)
3 Indiana at Miami (-6) 99-87 Favorite Over (182.5)
4 Indiana at Miami (-6) 102-90 Favorite Over (183)
5 Miami at Indiana - - -
6 Indiana at Miami - - -
7 Miami at Indiana - - -


Western Conference Finals

(W2) Oklahoma City vs. (W1) San Antonio
Game Matchup Score Favorite-Underdog Over-Under
1 Oklahoma City at San Antonio (-6) 122-105 Favorite Over (209)
2 Oklahoma City at San Antonio (-5) 112-77 Favorite Under (210)
3 San Antonio at Oklahoma City (-2.5) 106-97 Favorite Under (209)
4 San Antonio at Oklahoma City (-2.5) 105-92 Favorite Under (207.5)
5 Oklahoma City at San Antonio - - -
6 San Antonio at Oklahoma City - - -
7 Oklahoma City at San Antonio - - -

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NBA
Short Sheet

Wednesday, May 28

Miami Heat at Indiana Pacers, 8:30 ET
Miami: 19-8 OVER in a road game where the total is between 180 and 189.5 points
Indiana: 31-18 ATS off a road loss

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NBA

Wednesday, May 28


Home team perfect ATS in Western Conference Final

The Oklahoma City Thunder evened up the Western Conference Tuesday night with a 105-92 win in Game 4, easily covering the 2-points they were favored by and keeping the home team perfect against the spread in the series.

The home team is now 4-0 ATS in the conference finals and 8-2 ATS in their last 10 meetings overall. Game 5 will be Thursday night in San Antonio.

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday, May 28

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Miami - 8:30 PM ET Indiana +1.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY

Indiana - Over 183.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY

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Indiana misses 3 free throws in the last 13 seconds.....................to screw the over.....................

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Spurs ready for pivotal Game 5

May 29, 2014


Oklahoma City (69-30) at San Antonio (72-26)

Western Conference Finals
Game 5 - Series Tied 2-2
Tip-off: Thursday, 9:05 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line and Total: San Antonio -4.5, Total: 206

The Western Conference Finals head back to Texas all tied up as the Thunder and Spurs each try to gain a series edge in Thursday's Game 5.

This series has gone the way of the home team, which has won each of the first four games easily. In the first two contests, the Spurs won by an average of 26.0 PPG while the Thunder took both games at home by an average of 11.0 PPG. On Tuesday night, Oklahoma City came out and put on a show, hitting 51% of its shots in the first half and finishing the game with a 105-92 victory as two-point favorites. San Antonio’s offense was stagnant in the two road defeats, shooting under 40% from the field in each loss. No starter on the Spurs played more than 26 minutes in Game 4, as they were down by too much and were setting up for the next contest.

PG Russell Westbrook and SF Kevin Durant combined for 71 points in Tuesday's win while no player on San Antonio put up more than 14 points. San Antonio will be happy to head back home as it has lost nine straight in Oklahoma City and is 40-10 SU (26-24 ATS) when playing in front of its fans this season. Meanwhile, the Thunder are 29-20 SU (24-24-1 ATS) in their away games over the course of the season.

Including the playoffs, Oklahoma City is now 6-2 (SU and ATS) in this season series to improve to a solid 13-8 SU (14-6-1 ATS) in this matchup over the past three seasons. But during this same timeframe, the Spurs are 7-3 SU (5-4-1 ATS) at home versus the Thunder.

Oklahoma City has gone 53-34 ATS (61%) after having won two of its previous three games in the past two seasons while the Spurs are 124-86 ATS (59%) after a double-digit loss since 1996.

Both teams come into this game with no significant injuries to their rosters.

Oklahoma City has been a great offense all season long, scoring 105.6 PPG (47% FG) throughout the season, including 103.0 PPG (45% FG) in the playoffs. They club has shot well in this series too, hitting at least 46% FG in three of the four games.

SF Kevin Durant (24.8 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.3 SPG in series) had his best scoring performance of this series in Game 4, netting 31 points on 11-of-22 shooting while adding five rebounds, five assists and three steals. He has been all over the place with his shooting in this round, hitting 50% or more of his shots in two games while going 14-for-35 (40% FG) in the other two.

PG Russell Westbrook (26.5 PPG, 7.3 APG, 5.8 RPG, 2.5 SPG in series) was absolutely unbelievable on Tuesday, going for 40 points, 10 assists, five rebounds and five steals while looking unstoppable as he shot 12-of-24 from the field and 14-of-14 from the charity stripe. Even with his strong shooting performance in Game 4, he is still shooting just 41% in this series.

PF Serge Ibaka (12.0 PPG, 7.5 RPG in series) has made a profound effect in this series since returning from a hamstring injury and has been a force down low with seven blocks in his two games. He has not played much of a role in the offense though, attempting just 15 shots in the two contests while making 10. PG Reggie Jackson (9.8 PPG, 3.3 APG in series) was just 1-for-5 for three points on Tuesday after dealing with a tweaked ankle, and has made just 3-for-11 from long range over the four games.

San Antonio has been one of the most efficient offensive teams all season long with 105.4 PPG on 48.6% FG, and has been just as strong in the postseason with 105.6 PPG on an identical 48.6% FG. The Spurs defense has held opponents to 97.8 PPG on 44.3% FG, including 98.6 PPG on 44.0% FG during the postseason. These playoff defensive numbers have been even more impressive at home (94.4 PPG on 42.5% FG), including limiting the Thunder to just 91.0 PPG on 42.6% FG over the two games in San Antonio this series.

PG Tony Parker (14.8 PPG, 6.3 APG in series) averaged only 11.5 PPG and 4.0 APG in the two losses in Oklahoma City while failing to get to the free-throw line once. He has shot 50% or better in three of the four games in this series, but has nearly as many turnovers (11) as assists (13) over the past three contests.

PF Tim Duncan (16.5 PPG, 8.3 RPG in series) played just 25 minutes in Game 4, making 3-of-8 shots while scoring nine points and adding six rebounds. He has not logged more than 30 minutes in any of the games in this series, and has shot under 42% from the field in each of the past three games.

SF Kawhi Leonard (10.0 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 1.5 SPG in series) has seen his production really drop in this series, and has made just 16-of-40 FG (40%) over the four games. He had 10 points and five rebounds in Tuesday’s loss while on the court for 25 minutes. SG Manu Ginobili (14.3 PPG, 1.3 SPG in series) played only 11 minutes in Game 4, shooting just 2-for-8 while not adding a single assist or rebound in the game.

[StarDust Bum]

Game 5 - Thunder at Spurs

May 29, 2014

Editor's Note: Kevin Rogers has been on fire in the NBA playoffs, going 13-1 (+1,197) in his last 14 games! Catch tonight's guaranteed Game 5 winner of the Western Conference Finals between the Thunder and Spurs right here.

The Spurs seemed to be in control of the Western Conference Finals after grabbing the first two games at home in blowout fashion. But, San Antonio just can’t seem to win at Oklahoma City, losing for the ninth consecutive time at Chesapeake Energy Arena as the Thunder have stormed back to even this series at 2-2. San Antonio is hoping to avoid the same fate as two seasons ago when OKC erased a 2-0 deficit to steal four straight and advance to the Western Conference Finals.

Game 4 turned into a blowout by halftime, as the Thunder took a 58-43 advantage after two quarters and even led by as many as 27 points in a 105-92 triumph to cash as two-point favorites. Gregg Popovich sat his starters in the fourth quarter as the Spurs’ bench actually got them back in the game, cutting the deficit all the way down to 12 in the first minute of the final quarter. However, that’s as close as the Spurs would get as Russell Westbrook scored 13 of his 40 points in the fourth quarter, the second-highest playoff output in his career.

Kevin Durant would provide a bulk of the offense for the Thunder in Game 4 by tallying 31 points, while Serge Ibaka didn’t make the same impact as he did in Game 3, but the Thunder power forward scored nine points and pulled down eight rebounds. For the exception of Tony Parker’s 7-of-12 shooting effort from the floor, the rest of the San Antonio starters struggled as Tim Duncan, Kawhi Leonard, and Danny Green combined to knock down just 7-of-21 attempts from the field for 22 points.

Turning the page to tonight’s Game 5 at the AT&T Center, this is the seventh series in the postseason to be tied at 2-2 after four games. In the past, home favorites were normally a good bet, but not this postseason as home clubs (all favorites) own a dreadful 1-5 ATS record in this situation with the Clippers cashing against the Warriors in the first round as the only ATS win. The Spurs were tied at 2-2 with the Mavericks in the opening round and won Game 5, but failed to cover as 6 ½-point favorites.

After their offense couldn’t get going in Oklahoma City, the Spurs return to the AT&T Center looking to extend their streak of triple-digit scoring outputs at home to eight tonight following a 122-point effort in Game 1 and 112 points scored in Game 2. San Antonio has lost six of eight meetings with Oklahoma City this season, as the only two victories by the Spurs came with Ibaka out of the lineup. The points in the paint advantage swung OKC’s way in the past two games after San Antonio dominated that category in the first two contests, proving the impact that Ibaka has when he faces this Spurs’ squad.

Favorites improved to 8-1 SU/ATS in the conference finals after Indiana’s season-saving victory over Miami last night as one-point ‘chalk.’ VegasInsider.com’s Chris David has the line analysis for Game 5 tonight, “The Spurs opened as 4 ½-point favorites for Game 5, which is a drop from the first two games played in San Antonio and clearly based off the Ibaka injury. You can actually make a case that the line is too high based on the two regular season meetings between the pair from the AT&T Center. San Antonio was favored by three and six points against OKC this season, and Westbrook was out for the Thunder in the second matchup. The oddsmakers have had a good pulse on this series and I would continue to ride the favorite trend until the streak snaps.”

From the totals perspective, David believes that tonight we can see the offense get back on track for the Spurs, “The total for Game 5 has been dropped to 206 and even though the ‘under’ has cashed in the last three games in this series, I feel this is the opportunity that we’ll see the ‘over’ connect. Ibaka’s presence for Oklahoma City has been a tad inflated and I believe a lot of San Antonio’s offensive struggles can be related to shooting, in particular from the outside. In the first two games, the Spurs hit 19-of 40 (47.5%) and just 19-of-53 (35%) in the two games on the road. I expect San Antonio to produce better numbers at home, which has been proven all season, and I also expect the Thunder to carry over their offensive production from the last two games as well.”

San Antonio is pretty much a favorite of between 4 and 4 ½ points depending on where you shop, as the Spurs are 6-0 SU/ATS the last six when laying points at home. Tonight’s game tips off at 9:00 PM EST and can be seen on TNT.

[StarDust Bum]

Spurs look to Game 5 after rout

May 28, 2014


OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Gregg Popovich had seen enough.

With his San Antonio Spurs trailing the Thunder by 25 in the third quarter on Tuesday, he benched the last of his starters. Only one played in the fourth quarter, and that was for just 49 seconds.

When asked about his thought process behind the moves, he simply said, ''Thursday.''

That's when the Spurs host Game 5. Game 4, he rightly figured, was already over.

Russell Westbrook had 40 points and 10 assists, and Oklahoma City beat the Spurs 105-92 to tie the Western Conference finals at two games apiece.

Kevin Durant added 31 points on 11-for-22 shooting. It was his highest-scoring game of the series after the NBA's leading scorer was held to a 22.7-point average in the first three games.

Serge Ibaka added nine points and eight rebounds for the Thunder, who have turned around the series since he returned from an injury that was expected to keep him out for the rest of the postseason.

Ibaka was just one reason for the Spurs' struggles.

''We're just not focused coming out,'' Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard said. ''We're not playing consistently throughout the whole game. We're playing in spurts or increments. We've just got to play the whole game.''

Boris Diaw had 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Tony Parker added 14 points for the Spurs, who blew a 2-0 lead against the Thunder in this round two years ago and are in danger of doing it again.

''I think we shouldn't think like that,'' Parker said. ''Each game is different. Each series. Each year. We worked hard all year to have home court advantage and now it's our job to protect home court.''

Oklahoma City dominated for the second consecutive game after getting blown out in the first two. The Thunder committed just seven turnovers and shot 49 percent from the field.

The Spurs scored the first eight points of the game, but things went downhill from there. A steal and dunk by Westbrook gave the Thunder a 42-32 lead with just under five minutes left in the first half. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Durant pushed Oklahoma City's lead to 50-36.

The Thunder led 58-43 at halftime. Durant scored 22 points and Westbrook added 17 points, eight assists and four steals before the break.

Parker shot 6 of 9 in the first half, but the rest of the Spurs made just 11 of 32 before the break.

A lob from Reggie Jackson to Durant for a two-handed slam bumped Oklahoma City's lead to 60-43. A steal and jam by Ibaka made it 66-49, and a dunk by Westbrook made it 76-49.

The Spurs closed the quarter on an 18-7 run and cut their deficit to 83-67. San Antonio's Matt Bonner made a 3-pointer with 3:31 remaining to trim Oklahoma City's edge to 12, but the Thunder maintained control.

Popovich said winning the next game will not be about adjustments.

''I think we have to play harder,'' he said. ''They're playing more physically than we are and playing with more determination.''

Notes: Jackson started for the second straight game. He sprained his right ankle on a drive to the hoop and left the game with 8:25 left in the first quarter. He returned to start the second quarter. ... Popovich was called for a technical foul with 44.7 seconds left in the first half. ... Thunder C Kendrick Perkins had 10 rebounds. ... The Thunder improved to 5-1 in the playoffs when Westbrook has at least 10 assists. ... Spurs G Manu Ginobili played just 11 minutes and scored five points. ... Thunder G Thabo Sefolosha did not play for the second consecutive game. He started the first two games of the series.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Oklahoma City at San Antonio
The Thunder head back to San Antonio tonight after evening up the series with a 105-92 win in Game 4 and face a Spurs team that is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game. Oklahoma City is the pick (+4 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Spurs favored by only 1. Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma City (+4 1/2). Here are all of today's playoff picks.

THURSDAY, MAY 29

Game 519-520: Oklahoma City at San Antonio (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oklahoma City 127.486; San Antonio 128.598
Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 1; 202
Vegas Line & Total: San Antonio by 4 1/2; 206
Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma City (+4 1/2); Under




NBA
Short Sheet

Thursday, May 29

Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs, 9:00 ET
Oklahoma City: 53-34 ATS after having won 2 of their last 3 games
San Antonio: 28-17 OVER after a game where they failed to cover the spread




NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, May 29

Oklahoma City is 6-2 vs Spurs this year, 6-0 when Ibaka plays, 0-2 if he does not; Spurs shot 39.6%/39.8% in last two games, after making 58%, 50% in two series games here, with Ibaka out. OC has now won 12 of last 16 games with San Antonio, is 8-0 in last eight series games played here. Thunder was +17 in turnovers last two games. Nine of last twelve series games stayed under total. Home team covered eight of nine games in this round of playoffs so far. Lot of pressure on Spurs here; they led Thunder 2-0 two years ago, then lost in six games, when they had won 20 games in a row.

Over is 46-35 in playoffs this season, 4-5 in this round..
Favorites are 32-49 in playoffs this season, 8-1 in this round.




NBA

Thursday, May 29

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Trend Report
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9:00 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. SAN ANTONIO
Oklahoma City is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Oklahoma City is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing San Antonio
San Antonio is 3-12-1 ATS in its last 16 games when playing Oklahoma City
San Antonio is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games


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NBA

Thursday, May 29

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Game of the Day: Thunder at Spurs
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Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs (-4.5, 206)

Oklahoma City got Serge Ibaka back and suddenly won consecutive games to get back into the Western Conference finals. Now the Thunder look to see if they can keep the momentum going when they visit the San Antonio Spurs in Thursday’s Game 5. San Antonio crushed Oklahoma City by an average of 26 points in the opening two games on its home floor before Ibaka returned from a calf injury and the Thunder turned the tide.

San Antonio let a 2-0 lead get away against Oklahoma City in the 2012 conference finals and is hoping to keep a similar thing from happening this time around. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich waved the white flag in the middle of the third quarter with his team down 27 in hopes of getting veterans Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker enough rest to make a Game 5 turnaround. Thunder forward Kevin Durant can’t explain his team’s sudden switch in fortunes but is aware the task will be tougher in San Antonio. “We’re going to have to ramp it up a little bit more going into San Antonio, but we just focus on game by game,” Durant told reporters on Wednesday. “That’s all we think about.”

TV: 9 p.m. ET, TNT

LINE HISTORY: The Spurs opened as 4.5-point home faves with the total opening 206.

INJURY UPDATE: Thunder - G Reggie Jackson (Questionable, ankle)

ABOUT THE THUNDER: Durant may have be the league MVP but running mate Russell Westbrook was easily the best player on the floor in Game 4. Westbrook had 40 points – three shy of his postseason high set against Miami in the 2012 NBA Finals – to go with 10 assists and five steals in a scintillating performance. “I’m not surprised at all,” Durant told reporters. “I almost expected him to go out there and play at a high level every time he goes out on the floor.” Westbrook played 45 minutes and committed just three turnovers – the Thunder had seven as a team – and helped Oklahoma City to a 21-0 edge in fast-break points.

ABOUT THE SPURS: Popovich was highly disappointed in his club’s Game 4 showing and the effort was so alarming that even soft-spoken forward Kawhi Leonard spoke out. “We were just not focused coming out,” Leonard told reporters. “We’re not playing consistently throughout the whole game. We’re playing in spurts or increments. We’ve just got to play the whole game.” The presence of Ibaka has negated the inside presence edge San Antonio enjoyed in the first two games but that is far from being the only dropoff for the Spurs. “I don’t know what it is,” Duncan said after the defeat, “but we need to fix it quick and go home and try to turn it around.”

TRENDS:

* Thunder are 12-3-1 ATS in the last 16 meetings.
* Under is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
* Spurs are 6-0 ATS in their last six home games.
* Under is 5-1 in Spurs last six overall.

CONSENSUS: Fifty-three percent of wagers at Consensus are coming in on the Spurs.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, May 29

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OKLAHOMA CITY (69 - 30) at SAN ANTONIO (72 - 26) - 5/29/2014, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN ANTONIO is 155-121 ATS (+21.9 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 127-97 ATS (+20.3 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 79-58 ATS (+15.2 Units) in home games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 70-46 ATS (+19.4 Units) in home games in all playoff games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 124-86 ATS (+29.4 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 31-15 ATS (+14.5 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 103-85 ATS (+9.5 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 32-23 ATS (+6.7 Units) after scoring 105 points or more this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 35-26 ATS (+6.4 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
OKLAHOMA CITY is 14-6 against the spread versus SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA CITY is 13-8 straight up against SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
11 of 21 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


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NBA

Thursday, May 29


Pacers win keeps faves hot ATS in conference finals

The Indiana Pacers defeated the Miami Heat 93-90 to extend their best-of-seven series Wednesday night and in doing so kept favorites against the spread hot in the conference finals.

With the Pacers jumping to a 1-point favorite just before Game 6 tipped off, they improved favorites to a combined 8-1 ATS in both the conference finals.

The only underdog win was in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final when the Pacers won 107-96 as 1.5-point dogs.

The San Antonio Spurs host the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final Thursday night and are currently listed as 4-point favorites.

[StarDust Bum]

2014 Playoff Results

May 29, 2014

Betting Results

Conference Finals
Wager Favorites-Underdogs Home-Away
Straight Up 8-1 7-2
Against the Spread 8-1 8-1
Total
Over-Under 4-4-1


Eastern Conference Finals

(E1) Indiana vs. (E2) Miami
Game Matchup Score Favorite-Underdog Over-Under
1 Miami at Indiana (+2, +115) 107-96 Underdog Over (182)
2 Miami (-2) at Indiana 87-84 Favorite Under (184)
3 Indiana at Miami (-6) 99-87 Favorite Over (182.5)
4 Indiana at Miami (-6) 102-90 Favorite Over (183)
5 Miami at Indiana (-1) 93-90 Favorite Push (183)
6 Indiana at Miami - - -
7 Miami at Indiana - - -



Western Conference Finals

(W2) Oklahoma City vs. (W1) San Antonio
Game Matchup Score Favorite-Underdog Over-Under
1 Oklahoma City at San Antonio (-6) 122-105 Favorite Over (209)
2 Oklahoma City at San Antonio (-5) 112-77 Favorite Under (210)
3 San Antonio at Oklahoma City (-2.5) 106-97 Favorite Under (209)
4 San Antonio at Oklahoma City (-2.5) 105-92 Favorite Under (207.5)
5 Oklahoma City at San Antonio - - -
6 San Antonio at Oklahoma City - - -
7 Oklahoma City at San Antonio - - -

[StarDust Bum]

Pacers try to stay alive

May 29, 2014


Indiana (66-34) at Miami (65-31)

Eastern Conference Finals
Game 6 - Miami leads series 3-2
Tip-off: Friday, 8:30 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line and Total: Miami -6.5, Total: 183

The Heat are eager to wrap up the Eastern Conference Finals against the Pacers in Game 6 in order to prevent a potential Game 7 on the road.

Miami was on the brink of advancing on Tuesday, but the club was unable to close out the series in Indiana. The Pacers gutted out a 93-90 victory despite being down big at times in the second half. The Heat are now 3-2 ATS in this series so far, and they are heading back home where they have dominated their opponent. Over the past three seasons, Miami is 12-2 SU (9-5 ATS) when hosting Indiana at American Airlines Arena. But over the past three seasons, the Pacers are 5-1 ATS when playing in a Game 6 in the playoffs. They are also 3-0 ATS this postseason when they are facing elimination in a series. They are, however, up against a Heat team that is 39-19 ATS when revenging a same-season loss against an opponent over the past three seasons.

Miami has not yet played in a series that has gone to the sixth game in these playoffs, but the club will certainly match the intensity of the Pacers as the extra rest heading into the NBA Finals would be crucial for their banged-up bunch. The Heat are hopeful that PF Chris Andersen (thigh) will make a return in order to provide them with some much-needed rim protection.

With the Pacers’ season on the line Tuesday, SF Paul George (23.0 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 4.4 APG, 1.8 SPG this series) came through with the biggest performance of his career. George had 37 points (15-of-28 FG, 5-of-14 threes), six rebounds and six steals in 45 minutes for Indiana with, 21 of his points coming in the fourth quarter alone. Indiana will definitely try to ride his hot hand in Game 6 by feeding him early and often. PF David West (16.2 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 3.4 APG this series) was also tremendous in Game 5, finishing with 19 points and nine rebounds in 41 minutes. West was excellent around the hoop and used his big body to muscle his way to the rim. West has been the steadiest presence in the starting lineup for the Pacers all series, and if he's not playing well in Game 6, his team has very little chance of advancing.

After a scoreless Game 5, C Roy Hibbert (11.4 PPG, 8.4 RPG this series) really stepped his game up, finishing with 10 points, 13 rebounds and one block in 38 minutes of play. Hibbert was at his best when the Pacers weren’t forcing the issue and feeding him the ball. He plays his best in the flow of the game, and his play on the pick-and-roll was one of the reasons Indiana climbed its way back into the contest. SG Lance Stephenson (14.6 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.8 APG, 1.2 SPG this series) had a solid effort, finishing with 12 points, five rebounds and five assists. He set the tone defensively for Indiana with two steals, and continues to make life tough on Miami.

The Heat were very close to ending the series on Wednesday, and they pretty much were without SF LeBron James (22.4 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 5.4 APG, 2.2 SPG this series), who was in foul trouble early in the game and finished with just seven points (2-of-10 FG) in 24 minutes. Miami can’t afford to have James in foul trouble in Game 6, or it could be packing its bags for Indiana again. The good news for the Heat is that James has been money in home playoff games this year with 27.1 PPG (57% FG, 39% threes), 6.9 RPG and 4.6 SPG. SG Dwyane Wade (21.2 PPG, 4.4 APG, 4.0 RPG, 1.6 SPG this series) really stepped up his total game up with James out. Wade finished with 18 points (7-of-14 FG, 2-of-3 threes), eight rebounds and seven assists in 40 minutes of play. Wade’s shooting from the outside was quite the surprise for Miami, and he will look to carry his momentum into Game 6.

PF Chris Bosh (14.4 PPG, 5.6 RPG this series) picked up where he left off in Game 4, shooting extremely confidently from the outside. Bosh finished with 20 points (9-of-21 FG), 10 rebounds, one block and two steals in 41 minutes. Miami will need to continue to get Bosh the ball to keep him in rhythm in Game 6. The club needs its big man to score, and over the past two games, he has done just that, averaging 22.5 PPG in 38.5 MPG. Miami also got an incredible performance on Wednesday out of SF Rashard Lewis (6.0 PPG, 2.3 RPG this series), who was scoreless in the series until Wednesday. Lewis played 31 minutes and had 18 points (6-of-9 threes) and four rebounds, shooting extremely well from the outside when Miami needed it.

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Game 6 - Pacers at Heat

May 30, 2014


The Pacers stayed alive for one more game after holding off the Heat in one of the crazier contests of the season on Wednesday. Indiana heads to South Florida for tonight’s pivotal Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals as the Heat looks to advance to its fourth consecutive NBA Finals and a shot at a third straight championship.

How nuts was Indiana’s 93-90 victory in Game 5? LeBron James sat for half of the game with foul trouble, as the Heat star racked up his fifth foul early in the third quarter, a period in which Indiana’s hands got very hot. The Pacers outscored the Heat in the third, 31-15, one quarter after Miami limited Indiana to just 11 points. Paul George woke up in the second half after a quiet first 24 minutes with a buzzer-beating three-pointer to end the third quarter, followed by a 21-point effort in the final quarter.

George finished with a game-high 37 points as the Pacers improved to 3-0 SU/ATS in the postseason when facing elimination. James scored a playoff career-low seven points due to his early foul problems, but Miami still had an opportunity to win the game as the former MVP found Chris Bosh in the corner for a go-ahead three-pointer in the final seconds, but Bosh missed and the Pacers grabbed the rebound. Indiana managed a cover as a one-point favorite after the Heat opened as early two-point ‘chalk,’ as favorites improved to a staggering 9-1 SU/ATS in the conference finals.

In spite of James’ lengthy stay on the bench in Game 5, the Heat received an unexpected boost from veteran Rashard Lewis, who knocked down six three-pointers, including several big treys in the final minutes. The Heat drilled 15 shots from downtown, while attempting only eight free throws in the loss. David West shot the ball well for the Pacers by hitting 7-of-11 shots for 19 points, but Lance Stephenson and Roy Hibbert combined to shoot 8-of-22 from the floor.

Miami has been nearly automatic off a loss in the playoffs, winning 11 straight games off a defeat since the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals against Boston. In those 11 victories, the Heat has covered nine times, while posting an incredible 8-0 SU and 6-2 ATS record in close-out games at the American Airlines Arena since 2011. In both opportunities this postseason off a loss, Erik Spoelstra’s team beat the Nets in Game 4 of the second round and the Pacers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

To force a potential Game 7 on Sunday at home, the Pacers will need to do something that don’t normally do, which is win in Miami. In the last 10 visits to Miami, Frank Vogel’s club has lost nine times, including all four trips this season. In all four losses to the Heat, the ‘over’ has hit four times, while the Pacers have compiled a 2-6 ATS record as an underdog of six points or more in the last eight meetings in Miami.

VegasInsider.com’s Chris David says it’s hard to ignore Miami’s consistency off a defeat, “If you look at the tendencies for the Heat off a loss and how well they’ve played at home, I don’t know how you can argue against them to lose Game 6 outright. They’ve gone 7-0 at home in this year’s playoffs and since LeBron, Wade and Bosh formed their alliance in 2010, the trio have led the team to a 37-7 mark in South Florida. The money-line on Miami is minus-330 at a few shops and while that might be a little rich for some, most would believe this series isn’t going seven games.”

Even though the favorites have dominated in this round, laying the number may be too much according to David, “While I believe Miami should win Friday, I don’t believe it will be an easy wire-to-wire victory. Grabbing seven points with the Pacers isn’t a bad investment, considering they have gone 5-3 on the road in the playoffs and they have won a road playoff game at Miami not once but twice. Plus, it should be noted that even though Miami is 2-0 off a loss in the postseason, those wins were only by six and four points.”

From the totals standpoint, a pair of missed free throws from West and George in the final seconds cost ‘under’ bettors. David says that tonight’s total is again a toss-up, “If you bet the total in Game 5, you were treated to a good old-fashioned sweat shop. To be fair the ‘under’ was the right side and it barely cashed at most books but if it wasn’t for a couple missed free throws at the end, you could argue that the ‘over’ should’ve hit. For Game 6, the total is in the same neighborhood and the pace alone should have you leaning ‘under’ but the free throw and 3-point attempts by both teams could make you argue an ‘over’ bet.”

The Heat opened as seven-point favorites, but that number is creeping up to 7 ½ and may even get to eight by tip-off. Tonight’s Game 6 begins at 8:30 PM EST from Miami and can be seen on ESPN.

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2014 Playoff Results

May 30, 2014

Betting Results

Conference Finals
Wager Favorites-Underdogs Home-Away
Straight Up 9-1 8-2
Against the Spread 9-1 9-1
Total
Over-Under 4-5-1


Eastern Conference Finals

(E1) Indiana vs. (E2) Miami
Game Matchup Score Favorite-Underdog Over-Under
1 Miami at Indiana (+2, +115) 107-96 Underdog Over (182)
2 Miami (-2) at Indiana 87-84 Favorite Under (184)
3 Indiana at Miami (-6) 99-87 Favorite Over (182.5)
4 Indiana at Miami (-6) 102-90 Favorite Over (183)
5 Miami at Indiana (-1) 93-90 Favorite Push (183)
6 Indiana at Miami - - -
7 Miami at Indiana - - -



Western Conference Finals

(W2) Oklahoma City vs. (W1) San Antonio
Game Matchup Score Favorite-Underdog Over-Under
1 Oklahoma City at San Antonio (-6) 122-105 Favorite Over (209)
2 Oklahoma City at San Antonio (-5) 112-77 Favorite Under (210)
3 San Antonio at Oklahoma City (-2.5) 106-97 Favorite Under (209)
4 San Antonio at Oklahoma City (-2.5) 105-92 Favorite Under (207.5)
5 Oklahoma City at San Antonio (-5) 117-89 Favorite Under (207)
6 San Antonio at Oklahoma City - - -
7 Oklahoma City at San Antonio - - -